Astros notes: Castro could return sooner than expected

Jason Castro could play again late this season and could, health permitting, be headed in mid-July to the Astros’ spring training and Gulf Coast League complex in Kissimmee, Fla. to rehab, general manager Ed Wade said.

Castro has been out all season after he was diagnosed with a torn ACL on March 4 — a result of a bad step on the first base line in a spring training game.

The initial diagnosis was a chance that he could miss the season, and Castro has been progressing well in Houston.

Counting Lyles’ innings

The Astros will have their eye on rookie pitcher Jordan Lyles’ innings count as a precaution against burning out the young arm. Manager Brad Mills had a conversation recently with coaches and front office staff just establishing that the situation had to be monitored.

“No definitive numbers came out of that talk, but we are talking about it,” Mills said.

Lyles thre 144 2/3 innings in 2009 for Class A Lexington and 158 2/3 last year between Class AA Corpus Christi and Class AAA Round Rock. This year, he is at 95 innings between Class AAA Oklahoma City and the big leagues. He has averaged six innings per big league start and if he continues that unhindered for 16 starts in the second half of the season, he would finish the year at 191.

Astros claim outfielder

The Astros claimed outfielder Luis Durango off waivers from the San Diego Padres. A productive top-of-the-order-type hitter for most of his minor league career, the 25-year-old struggled this season at Class AAA Tucson and was designated for assignment last week in a roster space-clearing move.

Durango, who owns a .406 lifetime on-base percentage in the minor leagues and a .369 mark in 67 major league plate appearances, will go to Class AAA Oklahoma City.

“Plus-plus speed,” general manager Ed Wade said to describe the Panama native who has 164 steals in 610 games across all levels and has been thrown out 76 times. “Sort of that Jason Bourgeois/Michael Bourn game-changing speed. He doesn’t have power, but we think he gives us good surplus and any time you can add speed, we think it makes sense to do that.”

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros moved reliever Alberto Arias from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list in his unending quest to recover from 2010 shoulder surgery.

Happ throws BP

Wednesday afternoon saw an odd sight at Minute Maid Park – a healthy pitcher throwing live batting practice to hitters, as struggling J.A. Happ took advantage of an extra off-day between starts to get in more than his usual bullpen.

“I just wanted to get in there and reassure myself and make sure I’m trusting my stuff,” said Happ, who made it a goal to attack the strike zone against swinging batters. “I don’t think it’s a drastic difference, I just think it’s a being consistent difference.”